Cheers! How to Celebrate National Beer Day in San Diego

Looking to celebrate National Beer Day on April 7, 2019? Well, if you're in San Diego, you're in the right place: as of April 2019, the San Diego Brewers Guild has 128 independent craft brewery members operating more than 150 locations across the city

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This is certainly worth a toast: this Sunday is National Beer Day and, in San Diego – known to many as the “Capital of Craft” – there are so many ways to celebrate the hoppy “holiday.”

As of April 4, 2019, the San Diego Brewers Guild (SDBG) has 128 independent craft brewery members that represent more than 150 locations throughout San Diego County. Basically, you could drop a pin on a map of San Diego County and discover a new craft brewery north, south, east or west – and find a place to grab a pint on National Beer Day.

“San Diego is probably one of the best places to celebrate National Beer Day," Paige McWey Acers, executive director of the SDBG, told NBC 7. "Fans have so many options to choose from when it comes to getting delicious, innovative, locally-made beer.”

If you’re looking to toast to Beer Day at a local craft brewery but aren’t sure where to start, the SDBG suggests downloading the free SD Beer App on your smartphone, where you’ll find an interactive map that shows all SDBG brewery locations across the county, plus beer-centric events.

One neighborhood where suds seekers will find various craft breweries located within close proximity to one another is Miramar, affectionately known by locals as “Beer-imar.” There, live fan favorites like AleSmith Brewing Company, Amplified Ale Works, Pure Project, and Duck Foot Brewing Co., to name a few.

The SDBG said another suds-centric city is Vista in San Diego’s North County, which currently has the highest amount of breweries per capita in the region (i.e. Mother Earth Brewing Company, Prohibition Brewing Co., Booze Brothers Brewing Co., to name a few). Fittingly, on May 4, the SDBG will host its 2019 Rhythm & Brews Craft Beer and Music Festival in downtown Vista.

Of course, you’ll also find there are plenty of deals to be had around San Diego on National Beer Day.

Over on Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas, Bier Garden will offer $2 off all beers on tap, all day. The craft beer hub features 32 tap handles of Southern California-made brews, plus a full-service food menu.

In uptown – on Laurel Street about a block away from Balboa Park – The Corner Drafthouse offers 70 local craft beers on tap and will offer select $5 beers all day on National Beer Day. By the way, every day, the gastropub runs its “70 beers within 70 days” challenge, inviting patrons to try all 70 of its beers within 70 days. If you complete the challenge, you get your name engraved on a plaque.

The Corner Drafthouse challenges patrons to try all 70 of the gastropub's beers in 70 days. Depending on how far you get in the challenge, you could get your name added to a plaque.
Photo credit: Haley Hill Photography

Over at JSix, located adjacent to downtown San Diego’s Kimpton Solamar Hotel, you could celebrate National Beer Day with the eatery’s “Sunday Supper Special” – Fried Chicken & Beer – served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. The $25 dish (served with housemade biscuits and other fresh fixings) comes with the hotel’s new beer, Considerate Gentleman, a classic American lager brewed in partnership with 32 North Brewing Company.

Finally, San Diego’s GBOD Hospitality Group – which runs local restaurants El Chingon, Havana 1920, Monkey King, Meze Greek Fusion and Dough Nations – will toast to National Beer Day with $4 pints of the group’s new beer, GBOD Lager. The beer was brewed in collaboration with Mission Brewery, and is described as a cross between a European pilsner and Mexican lager. It’ll be available for that price at all five restaurants on National Beer Day.

Of course, this is just a small sampling of National Beer Day deals in San Diego. You’ll have to do your own responsible research to find your true hoppy-ness but, if you’re in America’s Finest City, you’re in the right place for quality beer.

McWey Acers said last year, the San Diego region’s craft beer industry had an economic impact of $1.1 billion, “showing that when it comes to both enjoying and supporting small, independent craft brewers, San Diego is the place to be.”